Scenic Antarctica Home to Penguins and Scientists

Clicking on each image will provide you with an enlarged view.
Don't miss our amazing Penguin photos.

Antarctica, once thought to be a barren, frozen, foreboding land, where many an
explorer has lost their life in attempts at overcoming the bitter cold and desolation.

Today the land is shared by scientific researchers under the provisions of
The Antarctic Treaty, which was signed on June 23,
1961, by the twelve countries involved at that time,
in Antarctic science. There are few
places left on Earth where a war has not been waged, where the environment is still
pristine and fully protected, and where scientific research is a priority. This frozen
land, which the Antarctic Treaty signers have called a natural reserve, is devoted to
peace and scientific research.

Popular Tourist Destination

Much to the dismay of the scientific community, Antarctica has recently become, interestingly
enough, a popular tourist attraction. These
awe-inspiring cruises to the frozen land of Antarctica average around 12-days with the cost for
such an adventure running between $3,000 and $10,000, depending on the length of the tour and
the accomodations you require.

The ship shown here is named the "Explorer II" and carries a staff and crew
of 146 to accommodate 198 passengers on it's voyages. The Explorer II is just one of many
luxury cruise-liners equipped to handle the open-water and icy channels of Antarctic seas.
Her speed, ice-strengthened hull, stabilizers and bow thrusters give her the power, stability
and agility necessary to ensure a safe, smooth passage for all on board, something I sure
anyone attemping such a cruise appreciates.

Once thought to be an immense wasteland, this frozen land is a whirlwind of wildlife
set amidst breathtaking geography. The backdrop of hanging glaciers, massive blue-tinged
icebergs, and magnificent near-vertical mountains astound even the most seasoned traveler.
A journey to Antarctica is truly a once-in-a-lifetime voyage to the last unspoiled
continent on earth.

In Antarctica there is only one sunrise, and one sunset. From late October through
February there is 24-hours of sunlight during the austral summer. During the winter
months there is 24-hours of seemingly unending darkness.

A layer of ice up to two miles thick covers a continent as big as the United States and
Mexico combined. Antarctic ice contains 70% of the world's fresh water (90% of the
world's ice). Although 98% of Antarctica is ice, there is land underneath the ice cover,
unlike the Arctic where the ice floats on top of the ocean.

Antarctic Wildlife

Wildlife is amazingly abundant given the extremely cold temperatures, which can plunge
to unbelieveable lows. The coldest temperature on Earth was recorded at the Russian station
at Vostok, Antarctica with an amazing reading of
-128.6 F in July 1983!

Penguins

Located far below the southern tip of South America the
awe-inspiring continent of Antarctica is home to vast colonies of penguins covering
rolling hills of ice, great whales feed in the nutrient-rich waters, and millions of fur
seals spend their days lounging about on drifting ice floes.

Antarctica is home to 17 species of Penguins. Penguins are flightless birds,
which have adapted to living in the cooler waters of the Southern Hemisphere. Some species
spend as much as 75% of their lives in the ocean, yet they all breed on land or sea-ice
attached to the land.

A total of 2.5 millions pairs of Adélie penguins currently breed on the
Antarctic continent and the small islands around it, the largest concentration being
encountered in the Ross Sea region (1,000,000 pairs).

The birds pictured here (above) are called Gentoo Penguins, and are the
most numerous penguins in the world. Around 12 to 13 million chinstrap penguins live on
the barren islands of the sub-Antarctic Region and the Antarctic Peninsula. These penguins
live and breed in large colonies. They often live on large icebergs on the open ocean.

The Penguin breeding cycle is synchronized to the Antarctic summer, which runs from October
through April, to take advantage of the light sea ice and the peak in marine resources that
occur at that time. Adélie penguins lay one or two eggs, each weighing 100g to 125g
(about 2.6% the female body mass). The eggs are incubated alternatively by each parent for
a period of 30-40 days. This short incubation period (in comparison with that of Gentoo or
Chinstrap penguins) is due to the short Antarctic summer.

Newly-hatched chicks are incubated by one parent while the other feeds at sea, the parents
change off incubation duties every 1 to 3 days. This guard phase lasts 22 days and is
followed by a "crèche phase" during which both parents forage at sea, and
unattended chicks gather in small groups of 3 to 20 chicks, called crèches. This gathering
reduces the risk of predation and helps to protect the chicks from severe weather. Fledging
occurs after 52 to 61 days, with an average of 77% of chicks surviving to fledge.

Antarctic penguins are highly social birds which usually breed in large colonies
called "rookeries". Healthy adult penguins have no predators on land, as such they
have no natural fear of humans. While they don't like to be approached directly, they will
sometimes come quite close to a quiet observer due to their own natural curiosity.

Albino Penguin

Albino Penguins are extremely rare in the wild according to a BBC News article, which ran
in 2002 entitled, Albino penguin 'one-in-a-million'
The albino mutation interferes with the production of melanin so no black pigment is produced.
The albino penguin is not affected physically, she just looks lighter than the others
and can forage and feed her chicks just as well as the rest of the penguins. The albino
penguin shown here is not a "true" albino (she has dark-colored eyes), our
albino is called an isoblene or leucistic, so her eyesight is most likely as good as the
other black and white penguins.

Volcano's of Antartica

Antarctica is a continent of contradictions: volcanoes erupting from a frozen landscape;
miles of snow and ice, yet hardly any snow falls each year; an arid land surrounded by three
oceans. One wouldn't expect to find so many volcanoes in such a frozen land.

Mt. Erebus - Volcano

Mount Erebus is only one of the
many volcanoes located in Antartica, it has an
elevation of 12,444 feet and is located on Ross Island in the Ross Sea.
Erebus is an active volcano with a
convecting lava lake within a summit crater. It has been continuously active since 1972. Most
eruptions are small and Strombolian in character, tossing
bombs onto the crater rim.

Penguin Island is a small volcanic island featuring two
craters within each other and a desolate landscape. The island is blessed with a rich
diversity of wildlife including chinstrap and Adelie penguins, southern giant petrels,
Antarctic terns, skuas, kelp gulls, and fur seals. Decons Peak is a dormant volcano on
the island rising 550 feet above sea level.

Deception Island is an unique Antarctic island. It
is an active volcano with a large flooded caldera open to the sea, which forms a natural
harbour. The island has had a long and varied history of human activity, including exploration,
sealing and whaling, aviation, scientific research and tourism.

Buckle Island is one of the three main islands in the uninhabited Balleny Islands
group located in the Southern Ocean. The island is roughly triangular in shape. The island
is of volcanic origin, and is still volcanically active, the last eruption being in 1899.

Penguins around the World - A fun filled site
especially made for kids K-6th grade. Includes a slideshow, treasure hunt, penguin
quiz and even lesson plans for the head penguin lover.

Wild Kids - Many animals live in and visit
Antarctica and the islands around it. Antarctic habitats include pack ice, mountains
and the surrounding seas. Learn more!

Scott Polar Research Institute - Kids' pages -
Heard any good polar jokes lately? Can you answer this? "How much will a penguin
pay for his dinner?" Explore this fact filled site and find the answer to this riddle and much more.

Time for Kids Magazine Article: Thin Ice -
Scientists explore the causes of Antarctica's melting ice. Antarctica is a land of ice. The
rocky continent is blanketed in ice up to three miles thick. Massive shelves of ice cling to
its sides, a necklace of sea ice surrounds it, and colossal icebergs float near its shores.
What would happen if all that ice melted?

Explore Antarctica from the comfort of home!

Virtual Antarctica — Virtual Antarctica takes you on a virtual journey to Antarctica, giving you a brief introduction to this continent beneath the ice. Complete with interactive quiz and more.

Antarctica Travel Guide — Antarctica is not easy to access but that is part of its appeal. Amidst such solitude, adventurous travelers will discover an ethereal landscape that lingers in the memory. This site provides photos, an overview of the continent, questions and answers, and personal trip journals from those who have visited this frozen land.

Antarctica Facts File Index — Learn about the Science, History and environment facts of Antarctica. Find details about wildlife and their habitat, learn about the weather and some real chilly facts about icebergs and more.

Australian Antarctic Division — The new Antarctic blue ice runway is nearing completion. The new runway will enable large aircraft to travel between Australia and Antarctica for the first time. Despite changes in global climate, a new study shows that snowfall in Antarctica has changed little in the past 50 years. Discover more exciting news from Antarctica.

An expedition to Antarctica — Mounting an expedition to Antarctica is a complex endeavor, necessitating careful planning, safeguards and follow-through. Learn about the actual ship that takes our passengers to the Antarctic Peninsula, and the rules that all environmentally-minded travelers should follow in visiting this sensitive area.

Virtual Antarctica Science Penguins — The signature species of Antarctica -- the mascot, if you will -- is the penguin. There are no fewer than 17 species of penguins, of which only four breed on the Antarctic continent itself. These include the Adelie, the Emperor, the Chinstrap and the Gentoo penguins. Learn More!

Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica — CARA takes you on a virtual click-through adventure. To get to the South Pole, you will venture through New Zealand, land at McMurdo on the coast of Antarctica, to the center of the continent and then to the bottom of the Earth: the South Pole.

Virtual Antarctica — This site contains chronicled e-mails and incredible pictures of the continent. While the site is not interactive, the photos are incredible! Be sure to click on the images (for those on dsl) to get the full effect of the brilliant colors and unparallelled beauty.

TerraQuest Virtual Antarctica — Second Story Interactive Studios, presents TerraQuest's maiden voyage, which set sail for Antarctica on the expedition ship Livonia on December 10, 1995. Over the next two weeks, online adventurers followed the crew and their guests as they sailed across Drake's Passage. Would-be adventurers can still explore the journey via ship's log, maps, and itineraries, and discover Antarctica's ecology, wildlife, landscape, and history of human exploration.

A Virtual Antarctica — This Virtual Reality Project is a simulation of the real thing. This free program allows the user to see animals and the actual facilities, without actually going there. The simulation is not just entertainment, it is educational as well. You can learn all you ever wanted to about this 7th continent and its culture. Get this Free Download and visit Antarctica from the comfort of home.

Antarctic Penguins — This site is jam packed full of penguin facts, pictures and even the incredible sounds of these feathered friends from the frozen Antarctic. Learn more about penguins than you could ever thought to have asked and don't miss the 3-D Penguin Page. All I can say is WOW!

Penguin's Around the World - After you've learned everything you can about penguins, take these penguin quizzes just for fun. Do you know which penguin lives the farthest to the north? How did you do on your quizzes?

The Incredible Antarctic Sky — The Antarctic sky is a constant source of amazement. Cold temperatures, low humidity, lack of variation on the terrain, proximity of the magnetic and geographic poles all contribute to displays rarely seen at other latitudes. Add to this the fact that there is little else to do than watch the sky...

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Notes:

This page is intended to offer resources for the student
fascinated with Antarctica, seeking more information on the subject. The pictures
included here were all taken by Herb Coleman on a recent trip to Antarctica. Many
thanks to Herb for sharing his wonderful work with us. Be sure to see
Herb's streaming video about his Falkland Islands Tour.
Thank you for your interest in Antarctica.